A wireless terminal accesses a wireless network using a mobile station identifier that is unique to the wireless terminal. Mobile station identifiers are used in a number of wireless networks, including wireless networks operating under the CDMA2000 family of standards, GSM networks, AMPS/TDMA networks, Wideband CDMA (or WCDMA) networks, IEEE802.xx networks, and GSM-1x networks, among others. The mobile station identifier may comprise a conventional identifier, such as an Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a User Identity Module (UIM) ID, a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) ID, or a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), or the like.
In conventional wireless technology, there is no way to dynamically assign a mobile station identifier (MS_ID) to a mobile station or other wireless terminal during actual operation in a wireless network. For security reasons, the mobile station identifier is set for each device and cannot be changed without special programming and equipment. A wireless service provider uses a mobile station identifier to identify a subscriber mobile station (e.g., cell phone, wireless laptop or PDA) in order to charge the account of each subscriber for service. However, there are applications in which it may be advantageous to assign the mobile identifier of a mobile station at least temporarily to a proxy device.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a proxy mobile station that imitates the signals of another mobile station. In particular, there is a need for a proxy mobile station that may be assigned the mobile station identifier of another mobile station. More particularly, there is a need for a proxy mobile station that may be dynamically assigned and re-assigned the mobile station identifiers of other mobile stations.